RANT: I KID YOU NOT

Here's an impromptu post if ever there was one. I've got two or three other posts begging me to finish them (figuratively speaking of course... I'm not implying that my posts actually speak to me!) But after a wee family trip out today I feel compelled (horrible blogger word that, compelled) to blog.

Now, here's the warning, the comedy stops here (what do you mean you it hadn't started?). I really do hate to get up on my soapbox here. Pfft, sorry, that's a lie. I LOVE getting on my soapbox, but I like to do it with a lighthearted flair... To detract from the fact I'm preaching to you. It's going to be a rarity that you'll see Ness get serious on here. I think life is hard enough without a total stranger coming along and pointing out new and fun things to be depressed about. However, on this occasion, I'm making an exception.

Family Sundays with the Family Ness (my family, not the cult cartoon) consists of some very basic staples. There must be a car journey, rock music must be played, junk food must be consumed, Mr. Ness and Wee Ness must continually wind each other up and I MUST loose my temper at every inopportune moment available. Although it may sound like Hell to you, we really do love our Sundays together. Usually because it's stress free, despite my tantrums, and all feels right with the world.

Today we drove to a fast food joint for lunch and, against our better judgment, decided to sit in. Now while I could wax lyrical all day about the dodgy establishment, I won't... This time. We left after we felt our arteries were sufficiently enough congealed and walked back to the car. Wee Ness and I got in first. Mr. Ness held back, staring incredulously into the car parked next to us.

"There's a baby in that car. I can't believe there's a crying baby ALONE in that car" He shouts

I get out of the car and look around the deserted car park. No one about. Someone left their one year old baby in a car park in the middle of bloody summer (it may be Scotland but it was still hot as hell today). I lost it and stomped back into the restaurant to inform the staff about the problem. I had hoped, in vain, that they would call the police and we'd get the baby out of the car before the child lost conciseness. I was wrong, I informed the teller, who told his manager who in turn told her boss. The boss (a 17 year old slip of a thing) meandered around outside the restaurant and then came straight back inside.

“Did you see the baby?" I asked hysterically

"Nope" came lackadaisical reply

"Its 2 hundred yards away in that black car. My family is in the one next to it"

“The baby is in a car? Alone? That's not good"

"You're kidding right? What the Hell are you going to do?"

At this point we both look out and notice a young ten year old girl is now in the car.

"That's solved that then hasn't it?" The manager seemed relieved.

"Solved what? Now there's TWO kids left alone in the car. I'm going to deal with this myself"

"Now, don't do anything silly. These people could be dangerous you know"

"Could? Could be dangerous? Of course they're bloody dangerous. They left a one year old baby alone in a car in the middle of summer. The bastards"

I storm out towards the car and there's a father, mother and toddler walking in front of me... Straight to the car. Seems they heard me reporting the problem and decided to take their fat arses back to the children they'd left behind. They got into the car and I stood there.

What did you do next Ness? Did you accost them? Scream and shout at them for being utter scumbags for endangering their baby’s life? Did you call the police and demand they get arrested for child endangerment?

No. I. Did. Nothing. Good grief, even admitting that out loud makes me sick. I let them drive away and get away with one of the worst crimes in society. I've not blogged enough for you to know me properly yet, but I'm usually the first person to call someone out. I've never stood idly by while bad things were done to innocent people... Before.

I got into my car and immediately began to shout to Mr. Ness about what scum they were and how they should have been punished. The louder I shouted the more I realized, as well as being mad at them, I was more disappointed in myself.

The sheer volume of apathy that is felt towards crime is frightening. It's a given that bad things happen in today’s society, while bugger all is done. I've always known this, but I never realized how serious the effect was until today. Until I joined in with all the other mindless drones and let people commit a heinous crime right in front of me.

Those bastards are off to continue their blatant disregard of their child's life because I never did anything.

SHIT!